Casinos and entertainment centers employ several techniques in order to keep patrons and attract new patrons. For example, many casinos offer beverage discounts and/or various forms of entertainment in order to attract potential customers. One popular form of attracting players is offering non-cashable promotional credits.
Non-cashable promotional credits refer to credits which cannot be redeemed for cash, but which game players can use to, e.g., play their favorite gaming machines or for other casino services. Players tend to like promotional credits because they allow them to play their favorite games longer and, typically, are designated in amounts similar to currency, which makes such credits feel like “free money.” Moreover, by playing the game longer, players typically feel like they have a greater chance of winning. In comparison, casino and entertainment center operators like non-cashable promotional credits because they can be guaranteed to be used only in their establishments, tend to keep customers in their establishments longer, are less expensive than cashable credits, and can expire if they are not used within a set amount of time.